a husbandman went out to sow his corn: and as he was sowing, some fell upon the beaten road, which was crush'd under foot, or devoured by the birds.

and in sowing, part of the grain fell in the high-way, and the fowls light and peck'd them up:

when any one heareth the doctrine of the gospel, and considers it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away what was sown in his heart: he is the person meant by the high-way, where some of the seed was sown: but the stony ground,

they who receiv'd seed by the wayside, are those in whom the word is sown, who no sooner have heard it, but satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

it is like a grain of mustard-seed, which when sown in the earth, is less than any other grain that is sown there.

now he that furnishes seed to the sower, and bread for food, shall furnish and multiply what you sow, and increase the fruits of your liberality.

He propos'd another parable to them, which was this; the gospel-state is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took to sow in his field.

now the meaning of the parable is this: the seed sown signifies the word of God.

it is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in his garden: it grew, and became so large, that the birds of the air built their nests in its boughs.

but God gives it such a body, as he thinks fit, to every seed its peculiar body.

where other seed fell, denotes the man that heareth the word, and at first receives it with pleasure:

he that is meant by the thorny ground, where other seed fell, is one that heareth the word: which by cares of this life, and the deceitful love of riches, is soon stifled, and becomes unfruitful:

he answered them, he that soweth the good seed, is the son of man:

the field is the world: the good seed are the children of the kingdom: but the tares are the children of the wicked one: